Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-08


they can do is point to the document with
wild eyes and shrek Free Trade" To
brighten political babies with this startling
yell aud dishevelled appearance into
voting the Republican ticket Is
an easy mode Of campaigning. But what
utter nonsense it is to say that President
CLEvELAND's message is a free trade doc
ument,
The best reCutation of this charge is the
message itself 1t sets forth:
when we consider that the theory OF our
institutions guarantees to every cit
izen the full enjoyment of all the fruits OF
his industry and enterprise, with only
such deduction rs msy be his share
towards the careful and economical
maintenance of the Government which
protects him, it is plain that the exac'
ton of more than this is indetensible ex-
tortion, and culpable betrayal Of Ameri-
can fairness and justice. This wrong in
flicted upon those who bear the burden OF
national taxation, like other wrongs, null
tiplies brood of evil consequences. The
public treasury, which should only exist
as conduit conveying the peoples tribute
to its legitimate objects OF expenditure,
becomes a boarding place for money need
lessly withdrawn from trade aud the peo'
Piles use, thus crippliug our national en-
ergies, suspeudiug our country's develop
ment, preventing investment in product
i've enterprise, threatening financial dis
turbance, and inviting schemes of public
plumber"
To correct this the President thinks the
tariff taxes should be reduced; he believes
them to be more burdensome than tie in
tsrnal taxes. On this point it is not IT.
relevant to remark there is much diversity
of opinion. The REGISTER believes the
President to be wrong on this particular
point We maintain that the tariff
should he readjusted and equalized, but
with equal irmuess We maintain that the
expensive and Oppressiyely operated inter
nal revenue system should be abolished,
at least in part. But to return to the free
trade bugaboo. The following extract
from the message will show the Presidents
position and how much OF reduction OF
the tariff he recommends:
''It is not proposed to entirely relieve
the country OF this taxation. 1t must be
extensively continued as the source Of the
Governments income; and in a readjust-
ment OfOur tariff the interests Of American
labor engaged in manufacture should be
carefully considered, as well as the pre-
servatiOn Of our manufactures. 1t may be
called protection, or by any other name,
of our present tariff laws should be devised
with especial protection against imperilling
the existence OF Our manufacturing inter
ests; but this existence should not mean a
condition which, without regard to the
public welfare or snatiOnal eXigency, must
always insure the realization Of immense
profits instead of moderately profitable re-
turns"
And again, speaking Of the American
workingman, whose vote it is the aim OF
the Republican leaders to brighten out Of
the Democratic ranks with the free trade
ghost, the President says: THE reduction
of taxation demanded should be so meas
ured as not to necessitate or justify either
the loss of employment by the working,
man nor the lessening of his wages; and
the profits still remaining to the manutac-
turer, after q necessary reimbursement,
should furnish no excuse for the sacrifice
of the interests Of his employees either in
their opportunity to work or in the
diminution of their compensation"
Is there any spirit OF tree trade in thist
Does it look like the President wished to
bring the American labOrer into competi,
ton with foreign psuper labor? Or does
it look as il the President bad any other
desire than the cheapening of the work
ingman's neceSsaries. Says the Presi'
dent again: ''Our labor is honorable
in the eyes OF every American citizen; and
as it lies at the foundation ofour develop
ment and progress, it is entitled, without
affectation or hypocrisy, TO the utmost re
gard. The standard of our laborers' life
should not be measured by that of any
other country less favored, and they are
entitled to their full share OF our sdvant,
ages"
Finally the President utters thess
words, which possess the true ring of pat
riotism:
''The question thus imperatiyely pre-,
ented for solution should be approached
in a spirit higher than partisan,
ship, and considered in the light Of
that regard for patriotic duty which
should characterize the actions of those
entrusted with the veal of a confiding PEG,
pie. Bat the obligation to declared party
policy and principle is not wanting TO urge
prompt and effective action. Both Of the
great political parties now represented in
the government have, by repeated
and authoritative declarations, con-
dsmned the condition of our laws
which permit the collection from the peo'
pie of unnecessary revenue, and have, in
the most solemn manner, promised its cor
rection; and neither rs citizens or parti-